“You were the first vampire ever to be cured,” he said. “I read the report. It sounded like it was rough.”

“I think it was,” she said, and sipped her tea. “I can’t remember it, to be honest with you. I remember lying on a stretcher and the doctor telling me they were going to sedate me, then the next thing I knew I was awake and my arm was broken and my nose hurt. But I knew, straight away. I knew it was gone the second I woke up.”

Jamie grimaced. “I did something stupid,” he said. “After they cured you.”

His mother frowned. “What did you do?”

“I attacked Matt,” he said, his stomach churning at the memory. “The morning after. I found out you were gone, and I thought they’d used you as a test subject, and I went up to the Lazarus Project lab and I lost it.”

“Did you hurt him?”

“No,” he said. “Not really. But I scared him, Mum. I didn’t mean to, but I was so angry, I just lost control.”

Her frown deepened as her eyes narrowed. “You listen to me, Jamie,” she said. “Taking the cure was my choice, and mine alone. Is that clear? I volunteered. If anything, Matt and Paul Turner tried to talk me out of it.”

“I know,” he said. “Paul told me once I’d calmed down. I’m sorry, Mum.”

“You should be,” she said. “I’ll never be able to explain to Matt and his colleagues exactly how grateful I am for what they did. They gave me the chance to undo the worst thing that ever happened to me.”

“I didn’t mean sorry for that,” he said. “I mean, I am sorry for what I did to Matt, but we sorted it out. I’m sorry for never really getting how much you hated being a vampire.”

She smiled, ever so slightly. “I told you often enough, Jamie.”

He nodded. “I know you did,” he said. “I just didn’t listen. I understand that you couldn’t wait once the cure existed, that you had to take it, even if it was risky. I get it now.”

“Thank you,” she said, her smile widening, and finished her tea. She got up and poured herself a second mug. “How are you, love? Are you OK?”

“I’m all right,” he said. “What did Valentin tell you?”

“About Carcassonne,” said his mother. “And about the planes, and the subways, and the hostages. About Dracula.”

Jamie nodded. The ancient vampire shouldn’t have told her anything – she was a civilian, and everything related to Dracula was Zero Hour classified – but he found himself glad; even though he had no doubt that she would find the reality of the situation in France upsetting, he was also sure she would rather know than remain in the dark. He had debated how much he was going to tell her, but now he decided to follow Valentin’s lead.

“We’re going to France this afternoon,” he said. “We go into Carcassonne at sunset. Everything will be settled tonight, one way or the other.”

“Who’s going?” she asked.

“Everyone,” said Jamie. “All of Blacklight, plus all the Departments around the world.”

“Is Matt going?”

“No, Mum,” he said. “We need him here.”

“Kate?”

Jamie winced. “Yes,” he lied. “Kate’s going.”

“Valentin told me Larissa had come back,” said his mother. “Is that true?”

“It’s true,” he said. “She came back to help us fight Dracula.”

“Is that really why?”

“Yes,” he said, firmly. “She’s going back to America as soon as this is over.”

“Oh.”

“It’s all right,” he said. “There are more important things right now.”

“Do you have to go?” she asked.

“To France?”

“Yes.”

He frowned. “Of course I do, Mum,” he said.

She looked at him and said nothing.

“The chances of killing Dracula are better with me there,” he continued, trying not to meet his mother’s gaze. “But even if they weren’t, I couldn’t just stand by while everyone else risked their lives. You know I couldn’t. Please don’t be angry with me.”

Her face creased with pain, then lit up with a smile so full of love that he almost physically recoiled from it.

“I’m not angry with you, Jamie,” she said. “Don’t think that, not ever. I’m so proud of you I could burst.”

He blinked back sudden tears. “I love—”

“Don’t,” she interrupted. “You can tell me tomorrow. When you’re home safely.”

“OK,” he said, his voice suddenly thick. “I have to go, Mum.”

She got up from the sofa and hugged him again, far more gently this time.

“Be careful,” she whispered.

He squeezed her tightly, taking care not to so much as brush against her broken arm, then let her go. They stared at each other, until Jamie turned away and walked out of the cell; all that was left to say was goodbye, and he could not bring himself to form the word.

OK, he thought, as he stepped into the airlock. Two down. One to go.

Five minutes later, Jamie knocked on a door on Level B and waited.

After a long moment, it opened to reveal a dishevelled Larissa Kinley. She was wearing a vest and shorts, her hair piled up loosely on her head, her eyes barely open, but Jamie felt his heart race; as far as he was concerned, she had never looked more beautiful.

“Jamie,” she said, and rubbed her eyes. “Everything OK?”

He nodded. “I think so. Can I come in?”

The faintest hint of a frown crossed her face, but she stepped aside. He walked into the room and stood by the bed as she closed the door.

“What’s up?” she said. “And don’t say nothing, Jamie. I know you too well.”

“You used to,” he said, and instantly regretted it.

Larissa narrowed her eyes. “That’s a cheap shot.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m really sorry. Frankenstein came to see me and it got me thinking about a lot of stuff.”

Larissa sat down on the edge of her bed. “What stuff?”

“My dad,” he said. “Me and him. Me and you.”

“Jamie …”

He shook his head. “I don’t mean me and you like me and you. I mean before you left, before I screwed everything up. Frankenstein thinks I pushed you both away because it was easier for me to be on my own after what happened with my dad. After both things that happened, me thinking he was dead and him turning out to be alive. If I kept everyone at a distance, then nobody could let me down, and I couldn’t get hurt. Do you think he’s right?”

“Yes,” said Larissa, instantly.

“Was I that transparent?”

“Sometimes,” she said. “There were times you were so like a closed book that I wanted to scream and shake you until whatever was going on inside your head fell out so I could see it. But as far as this goes, yeah.”

“Shit,” said Jamie, and rubbed his face with his hands. “I’m such a mess.”

“Oh, please,” said Larissa. “Self-pity doesn’t suit you, Jamie. At all. What happened with your dad was incredibly traumatic, and it left you with some serious abandonment issues, but don’t start thinking you’re special. The circumstances might have been, but you’re not.”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Thanks,” he said. “That means a lot.”

“You’re welcome,” said Larissa, clearly refusing to indulge him. “Look around you, Jamie. Look where you are. Everyone in this place has seen things they wish they could forget, and far too many of them have lost someone they care about. What matters is getting up every day and putting it all behind you and carrying on, which is what you’ve managed to do. Be proud of yourself for that.”

“OK,” he said. “I’ll try.”

Larissa nodded. “So did you and Frankenstein sort everything out?”

“Sort of,” said Jamie. “He apologised for not telling me my dad was still alive, that he was torn between his loyalty to him and his loyalty to me and made the wrong decision. I can believe that. So we’re OK, I think.”

“That’s good,” said Larissa. “I couldn’t believe it when Angela told me the two of you hadn’t spoken the whole time I was gone. I don’t know which of you is more stubborn.”

Jamie smiled. “I’m so glad you’re back, Larissa,” he said. “There was a real shortage of people to insult me without you here.”